CEO: Year one

By James Woods

I was appointed CEO of CADB in June 2022, in a post pandemic environment with a workforce conscious of potential changes and project insecurity, the lowest volunteer rates for a decade and a city gripped by a cost of living crisis, rising inflation and energy bills spiralling out of control, on top of this demands for the service at record levels….

It’s been a challenging first year!

I wanted to write this article to celebrate the successes we as an organisation have made

in my first year and to thank people for the part they have played in my development and how this has led to some of our achievements and shaped my vision of our service moving forward.

Our organisation’s achievements in the last 12 months

• £494,000 in new or extended funded projects received.
• Launched a New more accessible website which translates to over 158 Languages
• Partner referral tool launched reaching organisations across the city now receiving over 100 referrals a month
• Launched a Benefits and Budgeting tool clients can use for free..
• We now work in partnership on projects with 5 other community organisations
• We are recruiting a BSL Adviser to improve access for this community.
• We are a founding member of the Doncaster Advice Network
• Our Debt team won a prestigious National Citizens Advice awards for Team of the Year in 2022.
• They were also shortlisted for an Institute of Money Advisers National Award
• We have embraced the community approach I set out to implement and now have 20 community advice locations across the City.
• We have used Reserves to run strengthen our links with the NHS and ICB, running a successful pilot in Askern
• We have recruited a Volunteer Coordinator to oversee and take charge of recruitment and retention of volunteers and have 12 new volunteers in training or recently qualified since May 2023, bucking the trend of low volunteer rates.
• We have taken on 3 new trustees, all from different backgrounds and cultures improving the diversity and experience on our board.
• We joined the Armed forces covenant making a commitment to Serving personnel, veterans and their families
• We attend our first Pride Event and will be returning in 2023
• We have advised and supported 12,467 clients with 37,787 issues. a 33% increase on last year.
• We have achieved over £1.8 million in income gains for our clients
• We passed our Annual quality and governance audit with an improved score.
• We have New eye catching signs at our Stainforth office increasing awarness of our local prescence thanks to town mayor David Bowling
• We were awareded a Citizens Advice National recognition awared for performance on our MAPs Debt Advice project.

These achievements have been challenging and we have only achieved them because of the hard work and support of so many people within CADB but also elsewhere in Doncaster and nationally so I want to thank some people, whose support, guidance and candour I have found as great sources of support, encouragement and inspiration.

Firstly Colin Smith our Chair for his focus support and his commitment to the organisation and for devote time to it as and when required, thank you for understanding and being able to see the bigger picture in terms of my vision and approach, your organised and reflective opinion on some of the challenges we have encountered has allowed me to grow into the role and find positive outcomes to difficult situations, and to the rest of the board new and existing for your passion and commitment to the aims and objectives of the service.

To our fantastic Team of Staff and Volunteers who have adapted to and embraced the changes I’ve wanted to implement and who have taken record demands for services we provide in the face of a cost of living climate in their stride. Your unfaltering desire to do the best for your clients and achieve the best outcomes is amazing. I hope you all get a chance to reflect on the clients lives you’ve positively impacted through the work you do. Thank you on their behalf and mine for representing Citizens Advice Doncaster borough so well in all you do.

To Jeremy Clarke my CRM at national Citzens Advice for always having the answer to a question or knowing who to ask, for listening to my dilemmas and offering insight and understanding, I am encouraged and driven by the guidance and support you’ve offered this last year, and a look forward to continuing to bend your ear with ideas and challenges for the next year.

To the peer support I’ve established with David Olgaza from Citizens Advice Rossendale and Hyndburn -who started in his ceo role at a similar time, it’s been great to chat and make light of some of the issues and challenges we have both faced and I have found his thoughts and our chats a relief at times, and others across the Citizens Advice Network, it’s great to have such a supportive “family” to fall back on or turn to for support.

To Funders & Stakeholders who have embraced my vision of a community focused advice service and have helped me take steps to achieve this, Rupert Suckling, Vanessa Powel-Hoyland and Emma Nichols Hernandez I thank you for understanding and supporting the service and the proposals I have discussed with you, without you supporting CADB the impacts we are currently achieving locally would simply not be happening, and the lives of residents would be irredeemably worse off

To the other CEOs in the sector in Doncaster, Heather Boyce Age UK Doncaster, Cath Witherington VAD, Ellen Shipley Live inclusive Laura Arthur Mind Doncaster, I feel I have build up a strong and supportive network and I was really surprised and pleased with how welcoming you have all been, It was really great to have that support, especially through some the challenges of going into my first CEO role.

To our Local MPs Ed Miliband, Dame Rosie Winterton and Nick Fletcher thank you for always making time to speak to us, for listening to our campaigns and arguments for change at a local and national level, for supporting the services, our events and promoting us locally to your constituents.

To Mark Smith from Make your Mark, whose fantastic executive coaching sessions have given me the room to grow and develop as a leader.

To South Yorkshire Charity Mentors and my mentor Chris Bugg From Gripple, who has shared with me his experience and knowledge in the field of change management, his insight and input on the implementation of new strategies and our future organisation structure has been really valuable and allowed me to gain Increased confidence in my role and the decisions I am implementing.

And to all the other people and organisations who I’ve worked with on current projects, on new projects, on funding proposals, on campaigns or work streams, within local community organisations. Your support and confidence in me and our service offer means a lot to me and I hope to continue to work closely with you all and to develop new and exciting connections with other charities, organisations and individuals who share my passion for improving the lives and fortunes of the people of Doncaster.

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